


if my wishes can all come true

by ElderWhizzerBrown



Category: Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats - T. S. Eliot
Genre: 5+1 Things, Adoption, Bustopher Jones is Bi, Canon-Typical Magical Abilities, Father Figures, Gen, Hero Worship, Jellicles have no concept of homophobia thx for coming to my ted talk, Kid Fic, Unhealthy Relationships with Authority Figures, im gay and dyslexic gimme a break :(, magic show, no beta we die like men, projecting my issues onto misotffelees? its more likely than you think!, sorta. misto's a kitten at the beginning, thats not relevant but you needed to know, the amount of times i misspelled mistos name-
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 20:55:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29231892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElderWhizzerBrown/pseuds/ElderWhizzerBrown
Summary: Five times Mistoffelees tried to get Bustopher to adopt him and one time he didn’t need to.---Inspired by Jacob Brent’s comment that Misto likes Bustopher because they look the same.
Relationships: Bustopher Jones & Mr. Mistoffelees, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Mr. Mistoffelees/Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 54





	if my wishes can all come true

**Author's Note:**

> I meant to write a somewhat silly story about my headcanon, and I ended up writing a story about hero worship and having an unhealthy relationship with authority figures, so, whoops? Oh well, I have therapy soon anyway. Moral of the story, I didn’t intend to work out my own issues with a Cats fanfic, but sometimes that sort of thing happens ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 

**1\. Mistoffelees’ Age: 3 months old**

Most of the jellicles weren’t related. With many of them being house cats, they tended to move far and wide along with their owners. There were sets of parent and child or a handful of siblings, but for the most part, jellicles didn’t live near any biological family. They did, however, frequently adopt one another, with varying levels of seriousness. That was how Tugger had become Old Deut’s son when he was found as a scraggy kitten abandoned on the street, and how Skimble was almost every cat’s uncle, even those he was younger than. The whole point of the tribe was to be a sort of chosen family, sometimes literally.

From the moment Mistoffelees met Bustopher Jones, he wanted the older cat to adopt him. He and Victoria had only joined the jellicles under a month ago, around the time of the ball, and neither was old enough to even understand the concept of adoption. But when Bustopher ambled into the junkyard for his monthly visit, Mistoffelees was entranced. 

The very first thing he noticed was that Bustopher looked just like him. He’d never seen a cat with his same tuxedo pattern before, besides some distant memories of his mother. As all the older cats greeted Bustopher, Mistoffelees crept closer, hiding behind Jellylorum’s legs to get a good look at this cat. He was big! Would Mistoffelees be that big one day? He puffed out his chest, imagining it. 

Just then, Jelly moved without warning and Mistoffelees wasn’t fast enough to follow. He suddenly found himself in the open, all the older cats looking at him, and he instinctively cowered. His eyes landed on Bustopher, and he felt a rush of shame. He didn’t want this cat to think he was just a shy little kitten! He let out a tiny mew and straightened up. 

“Hello,” Bustopher greeted, leaning down to examine him. “You’re new here, aren’t you? What’s your name?”

Mistoffelees opened his mouth, but he found his voice gone. Instead, he nuzzled against Bustopher’s lowered face with his own, causing the larger cat to chuckle in surprise. 

Some of the queens surrounding Bustopher were also purring with laughter, and Jellylorum spoke up. “Oh, that’s Mistoffelees. He and his sister were just adopted by a family down the street. Don’t mind him, he doesn’t like to talk much.”

“Mistoffelees,” Bustopher echoed. He looked at Mistoffelees like he was as important as any of the older cats. Mistoffelees watched him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. “My name is Bustopher Jones. It’s nice to meet you, Mistoffelees.” Mistoffelees hurriedly nodded in agreement. “Perhaps you could go play with some of the other kittens? I’m certain our conversation wouldn’t interest you very much, and we wouldn’t want you to get bored.”

He stood up abruptly and scampered off, heart pounding. That was exhilarating! Bustopher Jones was the best cat of all the cats who ever lived! Even Old Deuteronomy wasn’t as cool. He had a lot to think about, but Mistoffelees knew one thing for sure: he was going to be just like Bustopher someday. 

* * *

**2\. Mistoffelees’ Age: 8 months**

Whenever Bustopher came to visit, it was nearly guaranteed a certain kitten would find his way to his side. If told to leave, he would scurry away, but he was always back before anyone had time to notice his absence. 

He wasn’t an annoyance, rarely even spoke, he was simply a constant presence occupying the space beside Bustopher. The older cat always noticed him first, and would frequently give him a pat on the head or direct side comments his way, making Mistoffelees beam with pride.

He loved when Bustopher acknowledged him. He was still shy, but Bustopher didn’t write him off as just a silent kid. When Bustopher was around, Mistoffelees felt like he mattered, like he was one of the adults. With Bustopher, he came out of his shell a tiny bit. The effect was intoxicating, and he always wanted more. Jennyanydots was sweet and good with the kittens, and Victoria was his best friend in the world, but neither of them ever made him feel so grown-up as Bustopher did.

On one of these visits, as Bustopher was leaving and the clan had finished their goodbyes, Mistoffelees asked a question he’d been anxiously waiting to pose ever since he first learned of the concept. “Bustopher?”

“Hmm, oh, yes?”

“You know how Skimbleshanks and Rumpleteazer decided to be dad and daughter? Could you and I do that?”

The older cat didn’t say anything for a while, and Mistoffelees watched his face anxiously for any sign of disapproval. He just knew that they were meant to adopt each other; why else would they look the same? “I don’t know, kid. I’m not much of a father.”

The kitten’s whiskers drooped and he felt a stinging sense of rejection. “Oh.”

“Oh, come now, don't be upset.” Bustopher nudged him on the dome of his head. “ _Maybe_. I’ll have to think on it for a little while longer.”

Mistoffelees perked up immediately and he nudged back. _Maybe._ All he had to do was work a little harder, then Bustopher would see. If he only got a handle on the magic he’d been developing, or learned to dance like Munkustrap and Alonzo could, then Bustopher would want him!

He nodded goodbye and giddily bounded away to tell Victoria the news. 

* * *

**3\. Mistoffelees’ Age: 13 months**

Mistoffelees’ first Jellicle Ball as an adult was marked by a blur of activity. A week or so before, he’d been practicing with magic. He was in the middle of a lightning trick when a “Woah!” startled him and he shocked the cat who’d spoken. 

Spinning around, he saw it was the Rum Tum Tugger, and his fur was now crispy and standing on end. “Everlasting cat, are you alright?” he shrieked. 

Tugger didn’t care much about the fact that he had been remarkably close to death, far more interested in babbling about how cool it was that Mistoffelees could do that, and asking why he never did anything that impressive in the junkyard, and Mistoffelees was so caught up in ensuring he wasn’t hurt that he agreed that Tugger could arrange a magic show during the ball. 

He was a ball of nerves about the prospect of performing, but he found himself looking forward to it for some reason. He’d always liked to show off, even if he was shy about it sometimes, and what was a better way to start off his adulthood? 

Especially considering who would finally be seeing all he could do. Bustopher Jones. He knew about Mistoffelees’ magic, like all the cats - it was hard to keep it secret after the time he’d been heard purring throughout the entire junkyard, or the time he’d gotten spooked and find himself teleported to the top of a tree he was too frightened to climb down from, necessitating Munkustrap to drag him down by the scruff of his neck - but he’d yet to see how much Mistoffelees could do with it. He couldn’t wait for the moment Bustopher knew exactly how amazing he could be. 

Bustopher arrived later than most of the cats, who had been mingling the whole day. Mistoffelees was busy watching Grizabella leave, and so he wasn’t in the group who greeted him. 

When he saw Bustopher bowing to Munkustrap, Mistoffelees immediately ran to see him, yanking on his tail to get his attention. Although Bustopher seemed amused by this, Mistoffelees felt ashamed that he’d done something so kittenlike during his first ball as an adult and tried to rectify it. 

Since the prelude to the ball was in full swing, Bustopher’s entrance was heralded by Jennyanydot’s singing. Bustopher was one of the cats who they were celebrating tonight, being that he was technically in the running for the Jellicle Choice (it would almost certainly be going to Gus, though). During Jenny’s song, Mistoffelees made sure to sit still at Bustopher’s side and not ruin his moment, although he couldn’t help himself from beaming with pride. 

Bustopher recited the list of his clubs, and, though Mistoffelees had it memorized, it was a delight to imagine the food he described. He even caught himself licking his lips when they got to the rice pudding and mutton. Bustopher led the most incredible life of any cat Mistoffelees knew. 

Once the song was over, Mistoffelees led Bustopher to a quieter spot in order to let Munkustrap ensure Macavity wasn’t nearby. There was so much he wanted to say that none of it managed to get out. Finally, he blurted, “I wish you’d take me to your clubs!”

Bustopher laughed. “Well, you _are_ older now. I suppose I could.”

Mistoffelees' heart soared. “Really?!”

“Of course! You’re grown, aren’t you? Who’s to say two grown cats can’t spend time together?”

In his head, Mistoffelees saw himself and Bustopher strolling proudly down St. Jame’s street. They’d look like father and son. Maybe, if tonight went well, they _would_ be father and son. He sat up a little taller. 

“You’re staying the whole night, right?” he asked. “Because I have a surprise and I think you’ll really like it.”

* * *

**4\. Mistoffelees’ Age: 13 months**

The magic show had a rocky start, but when Tugger hastily asked him if he could bring Old Deut back, he couldn’t say anything but yes. Truth be told, he’d never done a trick that complex before, but with Tugger looking so frantic and everyone so upset, he knew he had to try. He’d already been preparing to do a lot of magic, so surely he’d be able to manage it. 

The first notes of the song began and Mistoffelees listened carefully for his cue. When he heard it, he descended on a rope the way they’d practiced, wholly unprepared for the searing eyes and blinding lights. But Tugger’s smile looked so excited that he managed not to miss his line. 

“Presto!” he shouted, and the crowd cheered. Tugger had done a good job riling them up - he often did - even when they were so upset about Old Deut. 

_“Was there ever a cat so clever as Magical Mr Mistoffelees?”_ Tugger continued as Mistoffelees jumped straight into his warm-up tricks, zapping lightning around the clearing and doing some spins. Etcetera seemed so worked up that he checked to ensure Tugger wasn’t performing his signature moves, but nope, it was all him. 

Although he wasn’t doing any hip thrusting, Tugger was still a sight to see. His face was just as animated as the time Mistoffelees had shocked him all those weeks ago. _“And not long ago, this_ **_phenomenal_ ** _cat,”_ he sang, pointing at Mistoffelees, _“Produced seven kittens right out of a hat!”_

Mistoffelees grimaced. The time he’d teleported all the kittens out of bed and into his hat in the middle of the day was not his proudest moment. At least Tugger had thought it was cool. Hopefully, Bustopher thought the same.

But he didn’t have time to linger on the thought, because now came the climax of the performance. He chose Cassandra at random to be his assistant and draped a red sheet over her. If this went right, she’d end up back in her seat and Deuteronomy would end up in his sheet. Gathering his focus, he pulled the sheet away and turned away before he could see the result. 

Tugger‘s singing grew tender, just as it always did when he spoke to his father, and Mistoffelees felt his shoulders relax. He spun around, and Old Deuteronomy was before him, reaching out his arms. 

The trick had worked!

Later, after the Jellicle Choice had been made, Mistoffelees found Bustopher grooming himself. “What did you think of my show? Tugger and I have been planning for weeks - well, we didn’t plan the Old Deuteronomy bit, obviously. That just happened.”

Bustopher paused in his grooming and smiled wide. “You were marvelous, kid! I haven’t seen a cat with magic that powerful since Macavity was your age. Er, not that you’re anything like him. You’re a hero, not a villain,” he quickly clarified. 

Mistoffelees beamed at the praise. “Thank you!” 

Bustopher nuzzled him before returning to his grooming, but Mistoffelees interrupted him once again. “Do you maybe think,” he started as his tail whipped nervously behind him, “that you could adopt me now? I mean, clearly, I wouldn’t be a bad son, right?”

Bustopher stopped in the middle of a lick. He didn’t reply for a long time, and Mistoffelees almost asked if he’d even understood him. “That’s a conversation we need to have. I need a bit of time first, though, alright? Next time I see you, I’ll explain, I promise.”

 _No_ _?_ Surely he wasn’t saying no! Couldn’t he see how hard he’d worked and how much he wanted this! Mistoffelees felt his ears flattening against his head. “I understand.”

Bustopher nuzzled his face once more. “Thank you. I apologize that I need this time, but everything will go better if I order my thoughts first.”

When he left that night, Mistoffelees was already anxiously awaiting his return. His hopes had been dashed, but he tried to keep a brave face for whatever his answer would be. 

* * *

**5\. Mistoffelees’ Age: 14 months**

Bustopher visited two weeks early that month, which was good for Mistoffelees’ sleep; he’d been staying awake late into the day, just in case he missed him. He found the other cat among a crowd of admirers greeting him, although the severe look on his typically carefree features made Mistoffelees nervous. He made to join the crowd and say hello, but a paw on his shoulder got him to look back into Tugger’s concerned face. 

“Are you alright?” Tugger asked. 

“F’course,” Mistoffelees replied automatically. “I was just going to see Bustopher.”

Tugger’s face made it clear that he had thoughts on that. “I just…” He paused. “Last time you were acting so weird after you saw him. Pacing and not eating and stuff.”

“He’s not hurting me or anything!” Mistoffelees insisted, growing angry at the very idea. “He’s _Bustopher!_ He’s the best cat in the entire tribe!”

“Okay, sorry.” Tugger backed away, but his tail was still flicking anxiously. “Do you mind if I wait for you to be done, though?”

Mistoffelees opened his mouth to shut him down, but he stopped himself. Bustopher had seemed so _serious,_ it made him worry about his already slim chances. Maybe having someone to talk to about a potentially bad result _(it wasn’t going to go bad, it couldn’t, he’d worked so hard)_ would be good. Besides, he didn’t want Tugger to worry, and surely if he could see that everything was normal with him and Bustopher he’d drop it. 

“Sure. Just wait somewhere you can’t eavesdrop, alright?”

Tugger nodded, relief spreading across his features. “Good luck,” he murmured, nuzzling Mistoffelees’ face before darting off to perch on a nearby shoebox where he’d have a good view.

Mistoffelees felt a warm feeling rise in the cheek Tugger had rubbed, but before he had time to process it, Bustopher was at his side, the queens who normally surrounded him gone. “Good day, Mistoffelees. How are you?” 

Mistoffelees jumped in surprise, then quickly tried to flatten his fur and appear dignified. “Bustopher! Good, good, how are you?” _Do you have an answer? Please have an answer, I can’t take this!_

“To be honest, I’m quite nervous,” Bustopher responded. “I've been planning what I’m to say since you asked. I’m sure you’ve fared no better waiting, and for that I apologize.”

“No, no it hasn’t been great.” Mistoffelees admitted. “Why don’t we quit stalling?”

“Of course.” Bustopher cleared his throat and began. “Look, when you were a kitten and asked me for the first time, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, so I fibbed. That was irresponsible of me. I shouldn’t have let you hope."

It was a no. Mistoffelees flattened his ears and tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He’d known it was a longshot, but it hurt to finally be told outright. He wanted to bury himself for years, not come out until he ran out of shame. 

“Am I just not good enough?” he demanded. “I tried so hard; surely you know how hard I tried!”

“What?” Bustopher stepped back a step, face incredulous. “Of course not! _I’m_ not good enough. _I’m_ not parent material!” His voice softened. “You’re a fantastic cat with so much potential, and you don’t need me to do a shoddy job of parenting in order to reach it.” 

_Not parent material?_ It took Mistoffelees a moment to understand what he meant. He had never considered that. Of course Bustopher was parent material, everyone knew he was successful and distinguished! The question had always been whether _Mistoffelees_ was _son_ material, hadn’t it? 

Bustopher continued. “You’re not a kitten anymore, so I’m not going to spare your feelings by lying; I’m not going to adopt you, not now, not ever, but I’ll always be willing to be a mentor, and I’ll always be proud of you. You were too shy to even speak when we met, and just last week you brought Deuteronomy back in front of everyone!” Bustopher shook his head in amazement. “Here’s some advice: if you want some companionship that’s not from your sister, there’s another cat who’s more than interested.” He gestured behind Mistoffelees, and, craning his neck, Mistoffelees looked back to see the Rum Tum Tugger waiting where he’d left him. 

“Tugger? You really think…”

“I do.” Bustopher winked. “I can’t promise it’ll go perfectly, but I think you’re gonna be alright, kid.”

Mistoffelees nearly started crying again, but this time, he felt more like laughing than sobbing. “Thank you.” Bustopher wrapped him in a hug, and he couldn’t stop the tears. 

* * *

**+1 Mistoffelees' Age: 15 months**

“Tugger!” Mistoffelees meowed, shaking his mate’s sleeping body. “Wake up!”

The sleepy tabby grumbled awake. “Wha’ you wan’,” he whined. “S’early.”

“It’s nearly midnight, Tugger.” he pointed out. “Bustopher’s here. He wants to talk to you.”

He helped groom Tugger’s mane so he’d be presentable as Tugger shook himself awake. “What for?”

Mistoffelees had a sneaking suspicion he knew what for, but he played dumb. “You’ll have to see.”

They walked side by side to where Bustopher was talking with Munkustrap. Tugger intertwined their tails on instinct as they went. 

Last month, Mistoffelees had elected not to talk to Bustopher on his visit. He hadn’t been ready, and overall, he thought it had been the right choice. They had simply nodded from a distance before Mistoffelees had gone to find Victoria instead. This month, though, he had found that things between him and Bustopher were as good as they always were. When he’d shyly mentioned that he and Tugger had gotten together, Bustopher had been elated and insisted on seeing Tugger as soon as possible. 

Tugger yawned as they approached the two cats. “Good morning. What’s up?”

“‘What’s up?’” Bustopher repeated. “I’ll tell you ‘what’s up’! You have seduced my-” he looked at Mistoffelees, clearly fishing for a word. “My _protege_! It is absolutely essential that I ensure you’re good for him.” 

Tugger straightened up, trembling slightly. “Oh, er, I am, Mr Jones, sir. I try to be.” Munkustrap rolled his eyes. 

Bustopher nodded. “That’s good. Continue on with that, and be sure to appreciate that he’s a magnificent cat, you hear?”

“Always,” he promised. 

“Stop harassing my mate, Bustopher,” Mistoffelees complained. Everyone laughed, and the conversation Munkustrap had been having with Bustopher continued. Tugger slyly snuck off to continue his nap and Munkustrap soon left to check on the kittens, leaving Bustopher and Mistoffelees alone for the first time that day. 

“You’re not still so dismayed, are you?” Bustopher questioned. “I want to return to normalcy, but I didn’t consult you.”

Mistoffelees shook his head. “No, no, I’m fine. I’m mostly over it. I’ve thought about it a lot, and I don’t think it was good for me to idolize you so much for so long. You’re cool, but you’re also just a cat. I never really wanted a dad so much as I wanted a hero, y’know? You were right, things aren’t perfect, but I think they’re getting better.”

Bustopher licked the side of Mistoffelees’ face affectionately. “It’s strange to see you be so mature. It seems like just a day ago you were this tiny kitten. I’m proud of you.”

It wasn’t perfect, but it was close enough for now. 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos would be fantastic, as would comments! Thank you so much for reading! If you spot any typos, please let me know.


End file.
